Odyssey From Africa 3b
Chapter 3 THE RIVER continued (b)
Carefully they placed the children
In the small canoe amidships;
Pushing out into the current
Han swam alongside to guide them
Kwona, as she stood and waited
On the shore now took the hatchet
Cut the twin horns from the forehead
Of the now dismembered carcass
Thinking it a useful item.
In the coracle the children
Paddled hard to cross the river
Han swam close to guide and help them
Steadily they did make progress
As the current swept them downstream
Turning southward Kwona watched the
Warriors' relentless onrush
Finally Han and the children
Made a landfall on the north shore
Straight-way Han picked up the vessel
Then ran swiftly heading upstream
At that time of greatest danger
Fighting fear with mental sharpness
Every moment seeming endless
Time itself moved in slow-motion
Upstream of his waiting Kwona
Han plunged back into the river
Paddled powerfully and swiftly
As he saw the four approaching
Now a mere few hundred paces
He could recognise their faces
Only several days beforehand
They were mending nets together
Now with evil purpose striding
Weaponed by their fear and hatred
Could he reach his precious Kwona
First, before they closed upon her?
Suddenly a loud commotion
Broke out in the nearby bushes
High-pitched shrieking of a primate,
Snarling of a feline hunter
Clearing dust revealed the carnage
Leopard has baboon for breakfast
And the four approaching slayers
Paused, exchanging nervous glances;
Was this too some kind of magic?
Creatures summoned to attack them?
Superstitious hesitation
Was to cost them vital seconds
Kwona faced them, eyes of hellfire
Baring in both hands a weapon
All four warriors lunged forward
At that moment Han made landfall
Taking Kwona in his arms Han
Dived into the boat beside her
Then sat up and started paddling
But the boat was shipping water
Something grey and pink and fluffy
Dashed out from the bush toward them
A surviving baboon infant
Orphaned by her mother's slaying
Just in front of the pursuers
Ran the tiny little monkey
Leaping from the riverbank it
Landed between Han and Kwona
So the boat now held three riders
Han rowed hard to gain more distance
Kwona tried to fix the leaking
While the small wet monkey shivered
Thus the chasers missed their quarry
One of them dived in the water
Swimming to pursue the boaters
Holding in his teeth a weapon
Copyright © Phil Salmon | Year Posted 2017
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